Cardoso: Aubaas Wants To Go To The World Cup

(Photo by Daniel Hlongwane/Gallo Images)

Mamelodi Sundowns head coach Miguel Cardoso has opened about about Bathus Aubaas’ lack of game time since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations.

Bathusi Aubaas made three appearances for Bafana Bafana at the tournament, where the national side were eliminated in the round of 16 but the combative midfielder has not seen a minute of competitive action for the Brazilians in the last four games.

Read: Cardoso Calls For Change In Cup Mentality At Sundowns

Speaking to the media during a Nedbank Cup round of 32 briefing at the PSL Offices, Cardoso said that he needs to create an understanding that they will be ready for the World Cup.

“Imagine with Aubaas until this moment, from the last four games, hasn’t played one single minute and he comes from making a good AFCON and he wants to go to the World Cup for sure. How I need to create the understanding that they will be ready for the World Cup because I will take care of them in a proper time. So, it is really a matter of trust. I want the players to believe that I trust them always,” Cardoso told the media.

Meanwhile, the Portuguese-born mentor has opened about the tough decision of leaving certain players out of matchday squads.

“If we go more into the analysis of the squad and we look at the position nine, oh my God it is very tough. I’m not in an easy and comfortable position having Peter Shalulile, Iqraam Rayners, Lebo Mothiba, three players with expectations and two of them for the World Cup and one that is an international and works serious,” he added.

Read: Stats: Do Sundowns Miss Rayners?

“Then I have a player who arrives and shows capacity to play as well that is Brayan (Leon). A team that usually plays with one striker has played with two in the last two matches. So, I count on the understanding of my players of the situation that we live in. In the midfield and central defence it is similar so this team needs to believe that there are no first XI players. 

“The difficult part is convincing my players that not playing one match or two they are as much important as the ones that played. It is a matter of creating that trust but in a year that has a World Cup at the end of the season this is not easy.”

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